Sewing guide for an offset sewing line



Nov. 22, 1960 R. H. WEIR SEWING GUIDE FOR AN OFFSET SEWING LINE Filed June 19, 1958 i lq.6

ROBERTA H. WEIR United tates PatentO SEWING GUIDE FOR AN OFFSET SEWING LINE Roberta H. Weir, 3923 Collis Ave, Los Angeles' 32, Calif.

Filed June 19, 1958, Ser. No. 743,076

2 Claims. (Cl. 112-151) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the sewing art and, more particularly, relates to an improved sewing guide adapted to removably engage a presser-foot of a sewing machine and to transversely project therefrom a manually controllable distance to provide a marker or guide for use in manually positioning an. article which is to be sewn, whereby a sewing line along the article to be sewn may be given a desired and non-varying degree of offset irrespective of whether the sewing line is straight, curved, or any combination thereof.

A prior art sewing problem which has existed until the development of the present invention, is the problem of sewing a. hem or the like along a line which is intended to be offset a predetermined distance from the edge of a garment or object being sewn along. the entire length of the sewing line. This problem is encountered in hemming various fabric articles, in sewing in zipper tapes, and in various equivalent sewing operations, and, in the past, it has been necessary for the operator of the sewing machine to rely entirely on intermittent measurements of the offset of the sewing line and upon her judg- With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sewing guide to removably engage virtually any type of presser-foot of the various sewing machines commercially available, and to transversely project therefrom a manually controllable distance in either direction from the presserfoot, whereby to provide a desired degree of offset from the sewing region of the resser-foot to either edge of the sewing guide of the present invention so that either selected edge of the sewing guide of the present invention may be lined up with the edge of any garment or article which is to be sewn, or may be lined up with any other desired guide line on the article which is to be sewn, so that the sewing needle of the sewing machine operating in the region of the presser-foot will have a desired degree of sewing line offset, which can be very easily maintained as the garment or article to be sewn is moved under the presser-foot during the sewing operation, irrespective of whether the sewing line is to be straight, curved, or any combination thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sewing guide of the type set forth in the" preceding object, which consists of a transverse horizontal guide member including substantially parallel horizontal transversely directed upper and lower portions in closely vertically adjacent adjustably movable relationship and which slidably frictionally carry two adjustable clamps 2,960,948 Patented Nov. 22, 1960 ice for adjustment along the transverse length of said guide member, with each of said frictionally slidably adjustable clamps and said" upper and lower portions of said guide member defining therebetween a controllably adjustably substantially horizontal presser-foot-receivingv aperture means directed substantially perpendicular to the transverse length of said guide member andbeing controllably adjustable as to width and also as to positioning along the transverse length of said guide member by resilient frictional adjustment of the two clamps with respect thereto.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved sewing guide of the type set forth in the preceding object, wherein each of said clamps includes an upper portion lying on top of said upper guide member portion, an intermediate portion lying immediately beneath said upper guide portion and immediately above said lower guide member portion, anda lower portion lying immediately below said lower guide member portion, with said intermediate portion of at least one of said clamps and one of said upper and lower guide member portions defining therebetween a resilient receiving recess adapted to resiliently receive and hold a portion of a sewing machine presser-foot therebetween with the remainder of said resser-foot being adapted to be removably received and tightly held in such presser-foot-receiving aperture means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved sewing guide of the type set forth in the preceding object, wherein said clamps are similarly positioned on said guide member with each of the lower poitions thereof being rearwardly directed under said bottom portion of said guide member in the direction of relative movement thereunder of an article which is. to be. sewn, whereby to minimize the possibility of snagging said article.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved sewing guide of the type set forth in any of the preceding objects, which includes a presser-foot in combination therewith and engaged with respect thereto in any of the manners indicated in any of the preceding objects.

Other and allied objects will be apparent to those skilled in: the art after a careful study of the accompanying. illustrations, the present specification, and the appended claims.

To facilitate understanding, reference will be made to the hereinbelow described drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one illustrative embodi ment of the sewing guide of the present invention in engaged operative position on one conventional type of resser-foot shown attached in operative relationship with respect to a. fragment of a sewing machine, with the presser-foot and sewing guide in operative guiding relationship with respect to a fragment of an article to be sewn;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. I but shows the sewing guide of the present invention in mounted operative position on another conventional type of presser-foot adapted for criss-cross sewing;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 but shows the sewing guide ofthe present invention in a differently transversely adjusted mounted operative position on another conventional type of presserfoot adapted for sewing zipper tapes into position with respect to garments or the like;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the sewing guide of Figs. 1-3 shown engaged with a regular sewing conventional presser-foot of the type shown in Fig. 1, but with the shorter transversely offset forwardly directed auxiliary portion of the presser-foot resiliently received and held between an intermediate portion of the right hand clamp :"Fig. 6 isa sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows 6- -6 in Fig. Fig.1'7is, a sectional view taken in the direction of the .a'rr'dWs17 -r7inFig-5; i Fig; 18isa frontjelevational view of a slightly modified 'of'theiuventiont' Y n H T Fi'g-YQ is afra'gmenta'ry topplan view of the left end brute modified form or the invention 'shown'in Fig; 8;

i -"Fig. lliis 'aifragmentary perspective view of the: left Yendof the modified-form of the invention shown in Figs.

T, 5 The sewing guide of the present invention comprises ja transverse horizontal'guide member including substanparallel'horizontal ttansversely directed upper and "lowerportions in "closely vertically adjacent adjustably movable relationship; In the specific example illustrated in Figs. l-7, said transverse horizontal guide member is indicated generally at- 11 and said substantially parallel "horizontal transversely directed upper and lower porl'tionsfinclos'ely vertically spaced adjustably movable relationship are indicated at 12 and 13, respectively. In'

the speoific example illustrated in Figs. 1-7, said guide "rnemberportions 12 and 13 are integrally connected together ateach endand are made of resilient metal such :as' sprinjg steel," phosphor -bronze, berylium copper, or

e 'arn ri c a The present; invention also includes two slidably adjustable clamps slidably frictionally carried by said transyerse'guide' member'for adjustment along the transverse length thereof., In the specific example illustrated. said clamps'are: indicated generally at 14 and 15, andare each made of resilient material such as spring steel, phosph orb'ronze, berylium copper or other suitable materials, 'jalthough' njot n'ecessarily so limited- Furthermore, in the specific example illustrated, each of said clamps 14 con- "sister-" 0f anupper portion 15 lying on top of the upper guide -member'portion 12, an intermediate portion 16 lying immediately beneath said upper guide member porfiori 12f'arid "immediately above said lower guide member portion-13,j and a;lower portion 17 lying immediately beiow said lower guide member portion 13. In'the specific example illustrated in Figs. l-7, it will be noted that 'e'ac'h'of-theclamps. 15 is so constructed, in approximate- 1y S- shaped or Z-shaped configuration, as to provide a resilient i'eceiving recess such as is indic ted at 18 between the intermediate portion 16 of the clamp and the lower guide member portion 13; either one of said recesses18- being adapted to receive the shorter forwardly directed auxiliary portion or, leg of a presser-foot, such the suitablemetals adapted to'p'rovide the desired dey yiwed'in Fig. 4 and the lower guide member por- V 'as'is shown; at 19 in Figs; 4 and 7, therein, whereby to H tightly 'h old said auxiliary portion or leg 19 of the presserfoot, indicated generally at 20, therein while the main forwaidly'directed" portion or leg 21 of the Presser-foot is receivedgina controllably adjustable substantially horizorital presser-foot-receiving aperture means 22 directed V substantially perpendicular to the transverse length of the guide member 11, and defined by the two controllably fric tionally 'slid 'ble adjustable clamp 14 and theupper and lower portions 12 and 13 of the guide member 11 positioned transversely between said clam s 14. t will be noted'that, 'in Fig. 1, both the main forwardly directed portion or leg 210i thepresser-foot 2t) and the auxili ry forwardly directed leg or portion 19 of said resser-foot 20 are. resiliently received, and tightly held in said presserfoot-receiving aperture means 22, while in thearr n'gementlillustr'ate'd in Figs. 47 said shorter leg or portion 19 of the Presser-foot 20 is received in the recess 18 while V 4 the main forwardly directed portion 21 of the presserfoot 20 is received in the presser-foot-receiving aperture means 22. These are two alternate modes of mounting of the sewing guide of the present invention on a presser foot.

Fig. 2 also illustrates both portions 19A and 21A positioned in the main aperture 22, while Fig. 3 shows a presser-foot having only" one portion 21B also positioned in the main aperture 22. 1

It' should" be noted that, in the version of the invention illustrated: in Figs;"1'7; the clamps 15 tend "to normally constrict the upper and lower guide member portions 12 and 13 toward each other, soth'at as the clamps 14 are adjusted to anyfdesiredtransverse location along the length of the guide member 11 and then moved toward the inserted portion 21 of the resser-foot 20, the constricting effect of the clamps 14 will positively lock the entire guide member .11 onthe .presser-foot 20.

It should be noted that, in the specific example illustrated in Figs. l-7, the upper and lower portions 12 and ,13 of the guide member 11 are integrally connected together at each end thereof as indicated at 23 and 24- this version of the invention being preferably constructed by flattening a ring into the configuration of the guide member 11 shown in Figs. l-7.

Incidentally, it should be noted that, in the preferred form of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1-7, each of the clamps 14 is similarly positioned on the guide member 11 with each of the lower portions 17 thereof being rearwardly directed under the bottom portion 13 of the guide member 11 in the direction of relative movement thereunder of an article which is to be sewn such as that indicated M28 in Fig. 1 whereby to minimize any tendency of the clamps 14, to snag said article.

Figs. 8-10 illustrate a modification of the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-7 in that only the right ends of the upper and. lower guide members 12C and 13C are integrally connected together at 24C, as seen in Fig. 8, while the left end indicated at 23C of the guide member 11C includes an upper enlarged end 25 at the left end of the upper guide member portion 12C and a similar lower enlarged end 26 at the left end of the lower guide member portion 130. It should be noted that the enlarged ends 25 and 26 are not integrally connected but are enlarged so as to effectively retain the slidable adjustable clamps 14C and prevent their being accidentally slidably lost by reason of the fact that the ends 25' and 26v arenot connected. Also, thismodification of the invention illustrates a slightly different type of guide member 11C wherein the central portions thereof are normally resiliently vertically spaced apart a distance greater than the end portions thereof and greater than the normalspacing allowed by the clamps 14C, which are thus normally positioned near the ends of the guide member 11C until they are moved toward each other for the purpose of clamping a presserfoot therebetween in the central aperture 22C in the manner illustrated in Fig. l or in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4-7.

The operation of the improved presser-foot of the present invention is apparent from a careful examination of Fig. 1, wherein it: will be seen that the right integral end 24 of-the guide member. 11 is aligned with the edge 27 of an article which is to be sewn and which is indicated generally at 28, and is so positioned on the presserfoot 20 that the sewing machine needle 29 will sew' along a line 30 having a desired degree of offset from the edge that the other integral edge 23 may be used as the guide or marker edge if desired.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. All such, properly within the basic spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if specifically described, illustrated, and claimed herein.

The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relative positionings, and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and can be modified substantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically described and illustrated herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claims only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

1. A sewing guide adapted to removably engage a resser-foot of a sewing machine and to transversely project therefrom a manually controllable distance to provide a marker for use in manually positioning an article to be sewn, whereby a sewing line may be given a desired degree of offset, comprising: a resilient transverse horizontal guide member including resilient substantially parallel horizontal transversely directed upper and lower portions resiliently integrally connected together at ends thereof in vertically spaced vertically adjustably movable relationship; and two slidably adjustable clamps slidably frictionally carried by said transverse guide member transversely spaced from each other for adjustment along the transverse length thereof, said two controllably frictionally slidably adjustable clamps transversely spaced from each other and said vertically spaced resilient upper and lower portions of said resilient guide member defining therebetween a controllably adjustable substantially horizontal presser-foot-receiving aperture means directed substantially perpendicular to the transverse length of said guide member and being controllably adjustable as to width in the direction of the transverse length of said guide member and also as to positioning along the transverse length of said guide member by frictional adjustment of said two transversely spaced clamps with respect thereto.

2. A sewing guide adapted to removably engage a resser-foot of a sewing machine and to transversely project therefrom a manually controllable distance to provide a marker for use in manually positioning an article to be sewn, whereby a sewing line may be given a desired degree of ofi'set, comprising: a resilient transverse horizontal guide member including resilient substantially parallel horizontal transversely directed upper and lower portions resiliently integrally connected together at ends thereof in vertically spaced, vertically ad justably movable relationship; and two substantially Z- shaped slidably adjustable resilient clamps resiliently slidably frictionally carried by said transverse guide member transversely spaced from each other for adjustment along the transverse length thereof, each of said clamps including an upper portion lying on top of said upper guide member portion, an intermediate portion lying immediately beneath said upper guide member portion and immediately above said lower guide member portion, and a lower portion lying immediately below said lower guide member portion, said two controllably resiliently frictionally slidably adjustable resilient clamps transversely spaced from each other and said vertically spaced resilient upper and lower portions of said resilient guide member defining therebetween a controllably adjustable substantially horizontal presser-foot-receiving aperture means directed substantially perpendicular to the transverse length of said guide member and being controllably adjustable as to width in the direction of the transverse length of said guide member and also as to positioning along the transverse length of said guide member by resilient frictional adjustment of said two transversely spaced resilient clamps with respect thereto, said intermediate portion of at least one of said resilient clamps and said resilient lower guide member portion defining therebetween a resilient rearwardly opening and forwardly closed receiving recess adapted to resiliently receive and hold the end of a portion of a presser-foot therebetween with the remainder of said presser-foot being adapted to be removably received and tightly held in said resser-foot-receiving aperture means, said resilient clamps being similarly positioned on said resilient guide member with each of the lower portions thereof being rearwardly directed under said bottom portion of said guide member in the direction of relative movement thereunder of an article which is to be sewn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,335,468 Tricomi Mar. 30, 1920 2,186,885 Shpater Jan. 9, 1940 2,478,032 Wallsh Aug. 2, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 131,523 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1919 

